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Giant specs custom TRP carbon composite linear-pull brakes on production Propel Advanced SL bikes but the team gets custom units made of machined aluminum that more readily accommodate wide-profile rims and feature a more cable-friendly clamp. The fully enclosed stainless steel noodle - not to mention the tighter connection to the arm - yields a much better lever feel, too

Blanco's custom team-only aluminum brakes certainly aren't as sleek looking as the standard carbon composites units used on production bikes - and are certainly heavier - but they seem to work much better

James Huang/Future Publishing

Mark Renshaw's (Blanco) new Giant Propel Advanced SL aero road bike is nowhere near the UCI minimum weight limit at 7.59kg (16.73lb, without SRM computer). However, the data generated by his SRM power meter is still far more valuable than shaving a few grams

James Huang/Future Publishing

Shimano-sponsored teams at the Tour Down Under are still using the previous-generation Dura-Ace Di2 7970 group

James Huang/Future Publishing

A custom stainless steel number plate holder is attached to the seatmast head on Mark Renshaw's (Blanco) new Giant Propel Advanced SL

Giant's RideSense wireless ANT+ speed sensor is attached to the non-driveside chain stay. The timing chip is located just behind it

James Huang/Future Publishing

The down tube on Mark Renshaw's new Giant Propel Advanced SL is specifically shaped to work with a round water bottle. The second bottle is intentionally mounted very low on the seat tube in an effort to 'hide' it behind the other one

James Huang/Future Publishing

Huge tube sections around the 86mm-wide bottom bracket lend very good drivetrain rigidity

James Huang/Future Publishing

Tire clearance is very tight behind the seat tube with 25mm-wide tubulars fitted

James Huang/Future Publishing

Sprinter Mark Renshaw (Blanco) is using Giant's brand new Propel Advanced SL aero road bike for this year's Tour Down Under

James Huang/Future Publishing

Sprinter Mark Renshaw (Blanco) is using Giant's brand new Propel Advanced SL aero road bike for this year's Tour Down Under

James Huang/Future Publishing

While everyone seems to be jumping on the truncated airfoil bandwagon for their latest aero road bikes, Giant uses a more traditional shape for Mark Renshaw's (Blanco) new Propel Advanced SL

Giant specs custom TRP carbon composite linear-pull brakes on production Propel Advanced SL bikes but the team gets custom units made of machined aluminum that more readily accommodate wide-profile rims and feature a more cable-friendly clamp. The fully enclosed stainless steel noodle - not to mention the tighter connection to the arm - yields a much better lever feel, too

Blanco's custom team-only aluminum brakes certainly aren't as sleek looking as the standard carbon composites units used on production bikes - and are certainly heavier - but they seem to work much better

James Huang/Future Publishing

Mark Renshaw's (Blanco) new Giant Propel Advanced SL aero road bike is nowhere near the UCI minimum weight limit at 7.59kg (16.73lb, without SRM computer). However, the data generated by his SRM power meter is still far more valuable than shaving a few grams

James Huang/Future Publishing

Shimano-sponsored teams at the Tour Down Under are still using the previous-generation Dura-Ace Di2 7970 group

James Huang/Future Publishing

A custom stainless steel number plate holder is attached to the seatmast head on Mark Renshaw's (Blanco) new Giant Propel Advanced SL

Giant's RideSense wireless ANT+ speed sensor is attached to the non-driveside chain stay. The timing chip is located just behind it

James Huang/Future Publishing

The down tube on Mark Renshaw's new Giant Propel Advanced SL is specifically shaped to work with a round water bottle. The second bottle is intentionally mounted very low on the seat tube in an effort to 'hide' it behind the other one

James Huang/Future Publishing

Huge tube sections around the 86mm-wide bottom bracket lend very good drivetrain rigidity

James Huang/Future Publishing

Tire clearance is very tight behind the seat tube with 25mm-wide tubulars fitted

James Huang/Future Publishing

Sprinter Mark Renshaw (Blanco) is using Giant's brand new Propel Advanced SL aero road bike for this year's Tour Down Under

James Huang/Future Publishing

Image 1 of 19

Top riders have gathered here in Adelaide, Australia, for the 2013 Tour Down Under, to test their early season fitness. Blanco team sprinter – and Aussie local – Mark Renshaw is testing Giant's new Propel Advanced SL aero road bike, too, and hopes its new low-drag shape will carry him to success at the finish line.

Giant launched its new bike just days prior to the start of the race, so it's no surprise that Renshaw is using it here. According to Giant, the new bike is substantially speedier aerodynamically than the team's TCR Advanced SL – a second per kilometer, to be exact – while still only weighing 950g for Renshaw's medium frame, and coming close in terms of rigidity.

We suspect Renshaw's particular bike closes that gap substantially, though, and perhaps even surpasses a stock TCR Advanced SL in that respect based on the 7.59kg (16.73lb, without SRM computer) actual weight. For reference, a comparable Propel Advanced SL 0 would weigh about 7.25kg with Shimano's admittedly lighter Dura-Ace Di2 9070 group and identical pedals but heavier aero clincher wheels.

Given that Giant has built specially reinforced bikes before for powerful riders like Mark Cavendish before, we're guessing some of the extra mass in Renshaw's bike comes courtesy of a few extra carbon plies.

Mechanics route the Dura-Ace Di2 wire along the base of the stem

Blanco team bikes also sub in team-only machined aluminum linear-pull brakes instead of the molded carbon composite arms used on production Giant Propel Advanced SL. The material change and chunkier shape certainly add weight – and look to possibly impact the aerodynamic performance, too, at least on paper – a quick pull of the lever reveals that they work quite a bit better, too.

Lever feel is firmer and more positive than on production bikes we've ridden, the cable anchor uses a bigger and more cable-friendly clamp design, and the fully enclosed stainless steel noodle locks into a more secure socket. Team brakes sport a dual-position noodle anchor, too, to more easily accommodate narrow and wide-profile rims without requiring additional adjustment.

Finally, we spotted what looks to be a new PRO stem on Renshaw's bike, slimmed down with a particularly low-profile FSA upper headset cone. Key features include a Giant OverDrive 2-friendly 1 1/4in steerer clamp, a carbon-wrapped body, and four-bolt handlebar clamp. Otherwise, Renshaw's bike comprises mostly off-the-shelf gear.

Though Shimano has already introduced its new Dura-Ace Di2 9070 group, Renshaw – and other Shimano-sponsored riders here at TDU – is still using the previous-generation 7970 edition since supplies are still too limited for teams to make the switch. Renshaw's 50mm Dura-Ace carbon tubular wheels are standard issue, too, although they're wrapped in prototype 25mm-wide Vittoria tires.

The down tube is specifically shaped to work with a round water bottle

Somewhat surprisingly for a sprinter, Renshaw isn't using Shimano's optional sprint shifters on the drops, either, instead relying on the standard buttons to get the job done.